3 charged with Centreville vandalism spree

UPDATE: Friday – 2/14/2013, 2:15pm ET – Fairfax County police have arrested three men on charges of vandalizing several dozen cars in Centreville.

Police have filed a total of 19 charges in connection with the damage to 44 vehicles. Charges include various counts of felony and misdemeanor property destruction and larceny.

David L. Stribling, 24, and Glen D. Edwards Jr., 23, both of Centreville, and Tracy A. Carmichael, 21 of Manassas, were arrested within recent weeks, police said Friday.

Detectives continue to investigate and more arrests are possible, police said.

“Many times these sorts of cases go unsolved,” said Captain Ed O’Carroll in a written statement. “Thanks to the help from the public and media, our detectives received valuable information and were able to put pieces of information together linking these suspects to the crimes.”

EARLIER: Friday – 1/11/2013, 3:59pm ET

CENTREVILLE, Va. – Fairfax County Police are asking for the public’s help to track down the vandals who smashed out the windows of more than 40 cars in Centreville Thursday.

Police believe the cars were vandalized sometime between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. Thursday. The cars were parked in several different apartment complexes and townhouse communities in the area of Lee Highway and Centreville Road, says Lucy Caldwell, Fairfax County Police spokeswoman.

Caldwell says 44 cars had their passenger side windows smashed out. Then the thieves rummaged through the vehicles and glove boxes, stealing iPods and GPS units.

“Things that were small enough that they could carry with them, because there were items of value in some of the vehicles that were larger. But these people were in a hurry,” Caldwell says.